CSTP is a non-profit organization whose mission is to engage the citizens of Spokane County in a dialog about transportation planning issues that can affect the livability and sustainability of our urban environment.

CSTP filed a Complaint in the United States District Court of Eastern Washington on April 13, 2010 in the hopes of forcing the department of transportation to conduct air toxics studies to evaluate the significant health effects that could afflict people living close to the NSC corridor. Only after CSTP filed our lawsuit did the FHWA conduct the required air toxics studies. To settle the lawsuit, the FHWA admitted they needed to conduct the studies and agreed to pay our costs for bringing the lawsuit. See the settlement agreement we entered into with the FHWA: Stipulation and Order of Dismissal

It took the federal government a year to reply to our request with a Not Interested reply.

When the TIGER grant was open for public comment in 2009, we reiterated the need to conduct the required air quality studies. Our Comments filed during the open period that were ignored (again!) and forced us to file our lawsuit.

An influential study conducted in California demonstrates the harm caused by freeway exhaust in the neighborhoods adjacent to freeways. Here is a map I made from the CA freeway study.

The map shows that cancer risk is highest in the neighborhoods adjacent to the freeway corridors.